Star Trek: Armada
by JediGarurumon
Summary: The opening chapter to the Star Trek: Armada story. Pleez R/R, tell me if I should continue this! Thanks! ^-^
1. Default Chapter Title

Disclaimer: I do not own this. I am making no profit from this. Star Trek, Star Trek: Armada, and all those other things are copyrighted by Paramount Pictures and Activision, Inc.  
  
A/N: I'm writing this to see if there is any interest in this story. Any comments or anything else should be sent to my e-mail, ccgfan1@hotmail.com. Please read/review, let me know if I should continue this. Thanks!  
  
Chapter 1  
"Premonitions"  
  
'Captain's log, stardate 53315.2. With the Dominion War over, and matters stabilizing in the Alpha Quadrant, the Enterprise is escorting a convoy to re-establish an outpost in the Barisa sector. Although we are not expecting any conflict, there have been rumors of renegade Dominion ships that have refused to accept the Dominion/Federation treaty. The Enterprise is being sent to protect the outpost during it's construction, should any hostilities arise.'  
  
A large convoy flew through the Barisa star system, headed toward the fourth planet. Leading the convoy of construction vessels and personnel carriers was the flagship of the Federation, the U.S.S. Enterprise-E. On either side of this majestic ship, and a little further back, flew two Akira-class vessels: The U.S.S. Jupiter, and the U.S.S. Templar, both recently repaired at Deep Space Nine.  
  
'Wonderful', thought Captain Picard. 'We're in for at least two weeks of boredom out here'. Two weeks, was the time it would take Starfleet to get another ship out here to relieve them, and the minimum time to establish an outpost with rudimentary life-support functions. 'I wish we'd get some action... even if it is a few renegade Dominion ships.'  
  
Four hours later, the convoy pulled into orbit of the large gas giant, Barisa IV. The Enterprise and her two escorts pulled away from the construction vessels, and let their crews of workbees begin their work. Some of the workbees immediately began unloading the pre-fabricated life-support modules for the new station, while others worked on the connecting bridges, supporting arms, and power systems.  
  
Suddenly, all of the Enterprise's sensor alarms went off at once, snapping Picard out of his boredom-induced trance. "Ensign Perim," he said, addressing the young Trill at the science station. "Report."  
  
She looked over at him with a look of fear on her face. "Uh, sir..." she began, wiping sweat out of her eyes. "Sensors just picked up a rather large Dominion attack force, heading this way."  
  
Picard stood, and walked over to the science terminal. "Composition?"  
  
Perim tapped a few keys, bringing up a tactical analysis. "At least three Battlecruisers, and over a dozen attack ships."  
  
"Oh no... Red Alert!" Picard snapped. The computer immediately plunged the bridge into darkness, and flashing red lights gave the room an eerie appearance. "Arm phasers, load all torpedo bays!"  
  
"Aye sir!" came the reply from the tactical station. "All weapons online, and operating normally..."  
  
A loud beeping cut him off. An incoming transmission. "Captain, we're receiving a transmission from the Jupiter," informed Ensign Lucetti.  
  
"On screen."  
  
The viewscreen at the front of the room lit up with the face of Captain Satelk, a former instructor at Starfleet Academy. "Captain Picard, we've detected the Dominion fleet. What are your orders?"  
  
"Go to red alert, and prepare for a hell of a fight." Picard said grimly.  
  
"Captain, I hereby request permission to conduct a live-fire test of our new weapon system." The Jupiter was the first Federation ship to be equipped with one of many new Federation weapons that were designed during the Dominion War: the Chain Reaction Pulsar, which was a torpedo-like projectile that absorbed shield energy from its target, then ricocheted to another, getting stronger with every hit. This situation would be the perfect time to test it in a large-scale battle.  
  
Picard thought this over. The Chain Reaction Pulsar was experimental at best, and had never been tried. But this was a dire situation, because the Jem'Hadar had them outmanned, and outgunned. And both Picard and Satelk knew it. The Jem'Hadar knew it too. "Permission granted."  
  
"Understood Captain. Jupiter out." The viewscreen switched back to a view of the starfield, with the approaching Dominion fleet.  
  
In less than five minutes, the Dominion fleet reached the convoy and opened fire, only to have their shots bounce harmlessly off the three ships' shields. Then, the Federation vessels opened fire themselves. The battle was joined. The Jupiter and the Templar shot past a cluster of three attack ships, strafing as they went. The Enterprise, meanwhile, was engrossed in a battle with a Jem'Hadar Battleship.  
  
"Mr. McClure, fire quantum torpedoes," ordered Picard. McClure complied, unleashing a barrage of torpedoes toward the battleship, which lurched from the impact.  
  
"Direct hit on their starboard engine, sir."   
  
"Keep firing at that same location. It appears their shields are weakest there." Picard could see the damaged engine, with several torpedo holes torn through it. He watched as another barrage flew toward the damaged craft, finding their mark yet again, and severing the engine from the ship completely.  
  
On the other side of the planet, however, things were not going well...the Jupiter and Templar were being harrassed by four attack ships and a battleship. Both ships shook with repeated impacts of Poleron-based phaser fire. "Lieutenant," ordered Satelk. "Charge up the Pulsar cannon, and target the nearest attack ship."  
  
"Aye, sir," responded the young lieutenant. "Pulsar cannon online, target acquired. Awaiting your command."  
  
Satelk didn't hesitate for a second. "Fire!" The lieutenant hit the key on the console, and the ship lurched briefly. A large, purple projectile shot out of the ship's upper torpedo bay, streaking toward the Jem'Hadar ship. The entire crew of the Jupiter watched apprehensively.  
  
The projectile hit the attack ship, causing a small explosion, and then bouncing off to a neighboring ship. The weapon functioned perfectly, absorbing shield energy as it went along. The torpedo hit the last attack ship, nearly trashing its shields, and headed for the battleship. Once it reached the battleship, it tore through its shields like they were non-existent and slammed dead-on into the engineering section of the ship, causing a large series of explosions that tore the battleship apart from inside.  
  
The Jupiter's bridge crew broke into cheers as they saw the battleship die a fiery death. They were happy, because their new weapon worked, and they were happy, because they were still alive.  
  
The Enterprise, meanwhile was faring extremely well against the remaining Dominion ships, mopping them up and blowing them to shards all too easily. Once the last enemy ship was destroyed, Picard began to breathe a sigh of relief. Ensign Perim spoke up from her station. "Sir, all the Dominion ships have been destroyed. The sector is clear." Then her console started beeping. She punched a few buttons, analyzing the energy readings... but what the sensors showed was impossible. Wasn't it? "And, uh, sir, I'm detecting a large temporal disturbance ahead."  
  
'Temporal disturbance?' Thought Picard. 'This doesn't sound good.' He turned to Perim. "On screen."  
  
"Aye sir," came the quick reply, followed by more button pressing. Soon, the viewscreen lit up, showing a massive tear in space directly ahead of them. Picard stood and stared, incredulous. It looked exactly like the temporal rift they had seen 9 years ago... the one that Guinan had said brought a ship from the past into their present, altering time. "Sir, I'm detecting a ship emerging from the rift."  
  
A large vessel, clearly Federation in design, glided slowly out of the rift, leaking plasma from its starboard engine. It was a large ship, vaguely Sovereign-class in design, but sporting a strange pod mounted above and behind the main saucer section. 'That ship...' Picard mused. 'I've seen it before, but where?' His thoughts were interrupted, as two Borg Spheres plowed through the rift immediately behind the obviously damaged Federation vessel, opening fire on it once clear of the rift.  
  
Another loud beeping, this time from Communications. "Sir, we're receiving a Priority One distress call." informed Lucetti.  
  
"Put it through."  
  
The viewscreen scene changed to show a middle-aged man, and in the background, Picard could hear sirens wailing, crew members shouting, and the scene wobbled visibly as the ship took fire. "This is Captain Thaddeus Deming of the U.S.S. Premonition. We are under attack by the Borg! Request immediate assistance! Repeat, this is Capt-" The transmission cut off suddenly.  
  
"Mr. Data, get us over there, now," Picard ordered. The android immediately complied, stirring the Enterprise into motion. The Jupiter and Templar, having heard the distress call too, headed in to help. All three ships, once in range, attacked the Borg Spheres furiously with a barrage of quantum torpedoes and phaser blasts. The Spheres didn't last long. Soon, the Premonition was free, floating in space, rotating slightly because of the plasma venting.  
  
"Ensign Lucetti, hail that ship," Picard said, sitting down for the first time since the battles had ended.  
  
Captain Deming re-appeared on the screen a second later. He smiled when he saw who he was addressing. "The legendary Captain Picard," he said, his voice full of awe and respect. "It's an honor to meet you sir."  
  
Picard stood again, walking forward toward the viewscreen, laying his hand on the back of Data's chair, as he usually did. "Captain Deming, your ship does not appear in the Federation database. Can you explain this?"  
  
"That is because the Premonition does not yet exist." Deming replied. His face then turned serious. "I've come from three years in the future to warn the Federation of an impending Borg invasion that will take over the entire Quadrant."  
  
Picard sighed. He wasn't going to listen to this. It could harm the timeline... "Captain Deming, the Federation has strict rules to govern time travel. I have no intention of listening to-"  
  
"Captain Picard," Deming snapped. "Where I come from, the Federation barely exists. What was left just barely managed to build this ship and get it launched before the Borg attacked. Vulcan, Bajor, Qo'noS, Earth... they're all assimilated planets!"  
He paused, to take a breath. "Within the next three hours, the Borg will attack and assimilate Starbase 612. Its fall was marked as the start of the Borg incursion that eventually took over the Alpha Quadrant. You have to do something to stop them!"  
  
Picard considered this. It would be a great risk... but if the Borg could be stoppped once and for all from conquering the quadrant, it might be worth it. "Very well, Captain. Mr. Data, set a course for Starbase 612, maximum warp. Ensign Lucetti, dispatch a subspace message to Admiral Hawthorne advising him of the Borg's return. Also, send a message to the Jupiter and Templar. Tell them to remain here to guard the Premonition."  
  
"Thank you, Captain," Deming whispered. "And good luck." The Enterprise wheeled away from the Premonition, and rocketed into warp. Next stop, Starbase 612... and a confrontation with an old enemy.  
  
End Chapter One!  
  
A/N: So what did you think? Please please please let me know what you think of this! And be nice, this is my first fic.  



	2. Default Chapter Title

Disclaimer: I still don't own this, nor am I making any profit. Star Trek, Star Trek: Armada, and all those other things are copyrighted by Paramount Pictures and Activision, Inc.  
  
A/N: Here it is, the next chapter in the series. As always, R+R please!  
  
  
Chapter 2  
"Paradise Revisited"  
  
  
'Acting Captain's log, stardate 53345.1. I have temporarily been relocated from my ambassadorial duties on the Homeworld to mediate a dispute re-developing in the Baku system. I have been given command of the Starship Avenger to help quell any hostilities, should the Son'a decide they want a fight.'  
  
The U.S.S. Avenger emerged from the Metreonic nebula surrounding the ringed world of Baku, a dangerous region known as the Briar Patch. The metreon radiation degraded ships' shields, and warp travel was impossible while within one, as first the Enterprise, now the Avenger knew. Directly ahead of them was the newly erected Starbase 47, put up to defend Baku against any more Son'a insurgents. Surrounding the Starbase was an array of phaser turrets and mobile torpedo launchers. Behind it, was a drydock facility, an Excelsior-class ship already under construction within.  
  
Ambassador Worf sat in the command chair on the Avenger's bridge, gazing at the planet ahead of them, thinking of the people down below, and of the last time he was here, almost a year ago, fighting off Son'a invaders, who just happened to be exiled former Baku. Outside of the protection of the planet's Metaphasic cloud, they began to age normally again, and turned to technology to maintain their life. Now, it appeared, the Son'a were back.  
  
As the Avenger pulled up to the Starbase, two Son'a destroyers and one battleship emerged from the Briar Patch, approaching the base. Under Worf's orders, his ship swung around to face them. "Hail the lead ship, Mr. Dalmer," he ordered. Ensign Dalmer nodded, punching the controls to open a channel.   
  
"Channel open sir, but I only have audio," Dalmer reported apologetically. Worf nodded. It would be enough.  
  
Worf then stood, clearing his throat. "This is Ambassador Worf, commanding the U.S.S. Avenger. You are in violation of Baku space, and I advise you to leave immediately."  
  
"This space belonged to us long before the Federation ever came..." came the snarling reply. "We've come to take back what is rightfully ours."  
  
"Any action you take on the Baku, or this base, shall be considered an act of war," Worf warned, eager for battle. But he still had to be diplomatic. He may be a Klingon, but he was also a Starfleet officer still.  
  
"If it will lead to war, then so be it, Ambassador! We've sat under the shadow of the Federation for long enough!"  
  
Worf grinned fiercely. 'Finally, for the first time in months, real battle.' "Battlestations!" he ordered. The bridge immediately became red-tinted, as the main lights began began to dim, signifying Red Alert status. All the other ships around the base area also stirred to life, turning to face the new threat and charging their weapons. The station's defense turrets also whirred to life, unfolding and charging, ready for action.  
  
The lead Son'a destroyer came in first, pounding away at a phaser turret with its pulse cannons. The other one went the opposite direction, driving straight through the line of turrets, strafing anything in its range. It got too close to the main base, however, and was quickly blown to splinters. Then, the battleship moved into action, firing its illegal isolytic-subspace weapon, which caused a small rift that engulfed three defense turrets and one Akira-class starship.  
  
The Federation ships began to retaliate. Two Venture-class scouts headed out to the besieged turret, and opened fire on the Son'a destroyer. The Avenger and the two remaining Akira-class ships went after the battleship, filling the space between them with pulse-phaser blasts and numerous torpedoes, trying to damage or destroy the battleship before they used their isolytic weapon again. The battleship's shields held up, and it began firing back at the smaller ships. It swatted away the U.S.S. Law with a point-blank torpedo blast, sending the ship tumbling away from the battle with several major hull breaches, and an exploded torpedo bay.  
  
"Anti-matter mines, now!" shouted Worf. The Avenger looped underneath the battleship, firing as it went, then soared above it and dropped its special cargo... a field of explosive, ship-tracking mines. The mines homed in on their target, slamming into the shields, crashing them completely. Then, seeing their target weakened, the Avenger and the U.S.S. Aeon opened fire with everything they had... and soon the battleship imploded under the stress. Hull fragments flew everywhere as the ship lost structural integrity, and finally blew apart.  
  
Worf took a deep breath after seeing the battleship explode. "Scan the area, make sure there are no more of those ships." He wanted to take no chances.  
  
"Aye sir," came the reply from Tactical, followed by a series of beeps: buttons being touched. Worf waited, and waited, while the young Lieutenant at Tactical ran the sensor sweep. "Sir, there are two more destroyers in the Briar Patch, apparently trying to lure us in."  
  
Worf nodded, remembering. Last year, when they were here before, Rua'fo's destroyer lured the Enterprise into the Briar Patch, where it was nearly destroyed by the isolytic weapon fired within the nebula. The only way the Enterprise had managed to stop the tear was to eject its warp core into it, which detonated on impact and sealed the subspace rift. Here, Worf wasn't too sure that would work again, especially with two destroyers. "Let them wait," he growled. "They won't get us that easily. If they want us, they'll come after us."  
  
Sure enough, the Son'a destroyers got tired of waiting, and they punched their way out of the nebula, driving hard for the Starbase. One of them didn't make it that far, as it was summarily destroyed by the Avenger and the Aeon. The other one however, made it to the perimeter, and unleashed its subspace weapon. The Avneger and Aeon were hot on its tail, but the subspace rift still opened. The drydock facility was sucked in and destroyed, as were the rest of the defense turrets. The Aeon, seeing that the rift needed to be sealed, flew into it and ejected its warp core, heading away just as it impacted. The explosion sealed the rift, destroyed the Aeon, and also the last Son'a destroyer.  
  
The base was in shambles. Its turrets were gone, its shipyard was gone, and the station itself sustained heavy damage from the core explosion. It had taken most of a year to establish this base... and now appeared like it would take another year to get it working again. The Avenger toured the region, checking damage, and searching for survivors.  
  
A beeping filled the bridge. "Sir," said Dalmer. "We're receiving a transmission from Admiral Hawthorne."  
  
"On screen," Worf said. Soon, he was face-to-face with one of Starfleet's only remaining Admirals. Many of the others were lost when the Breen attacked Earth and leveled Starfleet HQ. The Admiral did not look happy.  
  
"Ambassador, we have a rather large problem. The Enterprise has just been dispatched to Starbase 612, to investigate a report of a possible Borg invasion."  
  
Worf stared. 'A Borg invasion...' he didn't need to say anymore. "I understand, Admiral. I shall return to Qo'noS immediately, to rally the support of the Empire."  
  
"Worf, you've done an exemplary job," Hawthorne paused, thinking. "I hereby give you a field promotion to Captain. The Avenger is your ship now. Congratulations, but I know it's not the best of circumstances. Good luck, and God speed. Hawthorne out."  
  
Worf sat back in his chair, slightly shocked. 'A Captain...' The Avenger was his now... after so long in wanting his own ship, after being told that he would probably never get one after that incident two years ago in which he saved his wife, Jadzia, instead of an endangered Cardassian informant, he finally had a ship of his own. He turned his thoughts back to the present. The Borg... if they were back, it could mean trouble. "Helm," he ordered. "Set a course for Qo'noS. Maximum warp."   
  
"Course plotted, sir."  
  
Smiling inwardly, a fond memory of one of his former captains in his mind, he pointed his finger at the screen. "Engage," he said, in the way that Captain Picard had done so well. The Avenger wheeled around hard, oriented itself toward the distant Klingon homeworld, and once clear of the Briar Patch, disappeared into warp.  
  
  
A/N: There it is, chapter two. I'll post chapter three soon after this. Let me know what you think! Thanks! ^-^  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	3. Default Chapter Title

Disclaimer: Once again, I still don't own this, nor am I making profit. Star Trek, Star Trek: Armada and all those other things are still copyrighted by Paramount Pictures and Activision.  
  
A/N: Here's chapter three... it may be a bit shorter, but I'm not too good at writing chase scenes. Anyway, enjoy! Chapter 4 to follow!  
  
  
Chapter 3  
"Vendetta"  
  
  
Acting Captain's log: Stardate 53519.2. After defeating the Son'a insurgents, the Avenger received a Priority One alert from Admiral Hawthorne. It seems that the Borg have returned. I am taking the Avenger back to Qo'noS, to begin defensive preparations. We are taking a shortcut through the Ikolis Expanse, even though it is a treacherous area of space. These dangers aside, it is the fastest way to Qo'noS.  
  
The U.S.S. Avenger sailed through open space, approaching the treacherous Ikolis Expanse. The reason it was so treacherous, was because of the multitude of Metreonic Nebulae that scattered the region. Here, the nebulae were much more dense, and much more dangerous than the Briar Patch that surrounded Baku.   
  
Worf sat back in his chair, thinking of the past few hours' events. First, he had been ordered to help fight off a Son'a attack force intent on destroying the Baku Starbase, then he gets a message from Admiral Hawthorne, requesting his return to the homeworld. The one good piece of news from Hawthorne was that Worf had been given a field promotion to Captain... the Avenger was his ship now. For how long, that was unknown.   
  
He gave the order, and the Avenger plunged into the heart of one of the Metreon nebulas. The shields strained, as the ship drove through the nebula at full impulse.  
"Divert all available power to shields," he ordered, the ship starting to quiver around him.  
  
"Aye sir," came the reply.  
  
'I hope she can take this,' Worf thought to himself, then immediately shrugged off the thought. 'Of course she can. She's a Defiant-class ship... these little ships are the toughest I've seen...' Worf stopped, mid-thought. 'Little?! Where'd THAT come from?' Then, he remembered. During the Borg incursion three years before, the Enterprise-E had rescued him, and the other crew of the Defiant... and Commander Riker had teased him about the Defiant being a 'tough little ship'.  
  
Which, of course, it was... at least until last year, being destroyed at the hands of the Breen... ironic, he thought. The Defiant survived nearly three years of war with the Dominion... only to be destroyed near the end of it because the Dominion made some new allies... namely the dis-honorable Breen.  
  
With a final jolt, they were clear of the first Metreon nebula, and in open space again, for now. They were surrounded by Cerulean nebulae, and a large wall of asteroids was off to port. Worf would have returned to his brooding, but the ship suddenly lurched, as though it had been hit from behind by a giant fist. "Report!" he thundered.  
  
"Sir!" came the voice from Tactical. "Shields down to 75 percent... and there are three Klingon ships approaching from astern! Two K'Vort-class Birds-of-Prey, and..." his voice trailed off in fear.  
  
"And?" Worf snapped, impatient. The ship was shuddering again, clearly under fire.  
  
" A Negh'Var-class battleship, sir."   
  
"Sir," said Ensign Dalmer, at Communications. "We're receiving a transmission from the battleship..."  
  
"On screen." Worf reclined, eager to see who had dared attack his ship. The face that greeted him when the channel was established surprised him... "Toral..." he spat the name with as much venom as he could muster.  
  
Toral sneered from the other side of the viewscreen. "Twice before, you've lacked the courage to kill me, Worf... I assure you, you will not get the chance to try again. See, I have found the Sword of Kahless, and legend says that he who wields the sword, rules the Empire."  
  
Worf sneered back. He was not intimidated by this Hah'dI'baH... "Toral, you fool! You cannot have found the true Sword of Kahless. Only I know where it lies."  
  
"That is why you must die, Worf... once you are out of the way, the Klingon throne is mine." Toral smiled evilly. He had him, this time...  
  
Worf stood up, extremely furious. "Toral, now is not the time for this... the Borg have returned. And this time, for us all."  
  
Toral's smile fell. "I care not for your lies, Worf... but it is no matter. No one can stop my ascension... not you, not Chancellor Martok... not even the Borg! All ships, attack!"  
  
The Avenger shuddered more and more under the constant onslaught. Worf was thrown back into his seat by an explosion, and his Klingon warrior instincts were flaring to life. 'The Avenger is no match for a Negh'Var battleship...' he thought sourly. 'We'll have to evade them, and hope we lose them.' "Helm, set a course for the closest Cerulean nebula... full impulse."  
  
The helmsman busily plotted the course. "Course set, sir. Full impulse, now!" The ship rocketed forward as if from a slingshot, vanishing inside the sensor-jamming nebula. Once inside, the ship slowed to 1/4 impulse... and picked its way through the nebula.   
  
Toral was furious. He had Worf, and once again, had lost him. But not for long. He ordered all his ships to head into the nebula in pursuit. Worf wouldn't get away again... he'd make sure of it. Worf was his last impediment to achieving the Klingon throne... and Toral meant to remove him. Permanently.  
  
On the far side of the nebula, the Avenger popped out, accelerating to full impulse again. For the moment, it appeared that they had lost their pursuit... Soon, though, they came upon a thick radioactive cloud... emanating from a damaged spacestation.  
"Analysis," Worf ordered.  
  
The lieutenant at Tactical was busily analyzing the data on the station. It was a Jem'Hadar design, but long abandoned. The radiation was leaking from one of its damaged power cells. "Sir, if we destroy the station, the cloud may clear... the radiation is from a breached power cell."  
  
Worf looked thoughtful. "But how do we destroy the station? We can't get close enough to fire on it, the radiation would kill us all."   
  
"Fire into the radiation, sir... it's extremely volatile... a few Pulse blasts should ignite the entire cloud... but we'd have to get to a safe distance..."  
  
"A good plan, Lieutenant," Worf mused. "Helm, turn us toward that cloud. Tactical, charge up the Pulse phasers."  
  
"Aye sir!" came the double reply.  
  
"Fire!" Worf ordered, waiting a breath. "Full reverse, now!"  
  
A broken-up burst of phaser fire shot from the front of the Avenger's warp nacelles, streaking away from the ship and toward the cloud. Almost immediately thereafter, the ship took off backwards, as though backing away from a dangerous animal. The second the phaser burst hit the radiation cloud, a massive explosion engulfed it... sending a massive shockwave in all directions and vaporizing the damaged station.  
  
The Avenger shook mightily as the wave front reached them, but the shields held, and soon the cloud was gone. As was the station. Worf breathed a sigh of relief. "Good shooting, Lieutenant."  
  
Suddenly, the sensor alarm went off... Toral was back... but it didn't matter, they were nearly home free. Just one more Metreon nebula to cross, and they would be out of harm's way, and safely en route to Qo'noS. The Avenger drove hard for the nebular perimeter...  
  
But Toral wasn't planning on letting them escape that easily. The instant they were in range, all three Klingon ships opened fire, chipping down on the Avenger's shields...  
  
"Release Antimatter Mines!" Worf thundered, hoping the small mines would buy them enough time to escape through the nebula. Tactical immediately complied, and soon there were dozens of small mines floating behind them, closing on the Klingon fleet. There were a series of explosions, and soon, it was just one ship chasing them... it just happened to be the biggest one, seemingly undamaged.  
  
But it was too late, and both Toral and Worf knew it. The Avenger plunged into the heart of the nebula, out the other side, and quickly vanished into warp. Toral watched angrily and helplessly as Worf got away. 'Next time, Worf...' he thought. 'Next time, you won't get away so easily... I swear to you, I will have my revenge!'   
  
  
A/N: So what does Toral have up his sleeve? Why is he making a bid for the Klingon throne now? Find out in Chapter 5: "The Gates of Sto'vo'Kor"! 


	4. Default Chapter Title

Disclaimer: You know the drill. I neither own this or make profit from it. The guys who own this, you know who you are.  
  
A/N: Here's chapter 4. Enjoy! R+R please, as always ^-^  
  
  
Chapter 4  
"Dark Omens"  
  
  
Captain's log, stardate 53505.8. After our conversation with Admiral Hawthorne concerning the Premonition's warning of the Borg, the Enterprise has set a course for Starbase 612 to investigate Captain Deming's claims. We have been hailing them since we got within range, but there has been no reply. I fear we may be too late, and Captain Deming may be right...  
  
"This is U.S.S. Enterprise, calling Starbase 612, come in please..." Ensign Lucetti repeated for the umpteenth time since entering transmission range. She shook her head. "I'm sorry, Captain, still no response."  
  
Picard nodded grimly. He had been wondering if Captain Deming were right, and it now appeared he was. It was now up to them to put a stop to the Borg invasion, and to save Starbase 612, if they could. "Keep trying, Ensign."  
  
"Aye sir," she replied, turning back to her board and repeating the transmission again.  
  
Rubbing his forehead, Picard stood up, and began to pace around the upper level of the bridge, oblivious to the fact he was drawing worried stares from Riker and Geordi. He had completed one circuit, and was about to start another, when...   
  
"Captain, Priority One distress call coming in," Lucetti interrupted his pacing. "Data stream only... it's from the Starbase!"  
  
"Open a channel." When she nodded that she had done so, he moved back to his chair. Sitting down, he began to speak. "This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the U.S.S. Enterprise." He waited a few minutes, and then the speakers crackled to life.  
  
"Enterprise? Thank God!" came the staticy reply. "We've been attacked by the Borg! They've assimilated the crews of all the ships in the sector! We're defenseless! Can you help us?"  
  
"Affirmative, Starbase..." Picard caught a glimpse on the screen of a massive graveyard... dozens of derelict ships, of many classes, just strewn all over space as though they were a child's playthings. 'My God...' he thought. "We're en route now. ETA, five minutes. Just hang on." He turned to Riker. "Number One," he whispered. "Prepare away teams to send to those derelicts... they don't seem damaged, and we need to get them recrewed as soon as possible should the Borg return."  
  
Riker nodded, then got up. "Geordi, meet me in Transporter Room 3." He tapped his comm-badge. "Dr. Crusher, bring a medical team to Transporter Room 3... we're sending away teams to the derelict ships."  
  
"We're on our way, Will," came her reply.  
  
Five minutes later, the Enterprise pulled up to the Starbase, dodging floating wreckage and derelict starships, dropping 5-man away teams to each one they passed, with orders for them to get the ships moving again, and move them to the Starbase for recrewing. Once done, the ship assumed a defensive position. "Begin scanning for Transwarp signatures, and go to Yellow alert," Picard ordered. Almost immediately, the lights on the bridge were tinted yellow.  
  
They didn't have to wait long for the Borg to show their faces... barely 1/4 of the ships had received new crew members, and were moving out to join Enterprise, when two Borg Interceptors dropped out of Transwarp directly in front of them. They seemed surprised, and were caught flat-footed as the Federation fleet opened fire. The element of surprise ruined, as the Borg now knew they were there, Picard ordered the fleet to go to Red alert.  
  
Over the next three hours, all of the ships received new crew, promotions were given, and the ever-growing Federation fleet fought off ever-increasing Borg attacks. First more Interceptors, then Assimilators, then Spheres. Picard dreaded thinking what was next. He soon found out as the fleet found themselves toe-to-toe with a massive Cubeship, larger than the rest, and fitted with grayish-silver hull plating.  
  
'A Tactical Cube...' Picard knew from the remnants of his Borg link, the only remaining reminder of the horrible monster he once was... a monster named Locutus.  
  
Tactical Cubes were very dangerous, more so than standard Cubes... for the simple reason that they had layer upon layer of extra armor bolted... or maybe grown... onto their hull. They also sported more weaponry than a standard Cube, and was considerably more agile, despite its mammoth size. This was going to be one hell of a fight...   
  
"Prepare for battle!" shouted Picard as he saw the Cube appear in front of them. The fleet was all operational again, with some 50-55 starships strong, from most classes. There were Galaxy-class ships, Defiant-class, Akira-class, Nebula--class, Steamrunner-class, Excelsior-class, Ambassador-class, Intrepid-class, and even two modified Nova-class science ships. All ships were primed for battle, their weapons systems all armed and ready, and aimed straight for the Cube in front of them.  
  
"Attention all ships," Picard hailed the fleet. "As of now, by the authority of Admiral Hawthorne, I'm taking command of the fleet. All Steamrunners stay out of Borg weapons range, and use your Tri-Cobalt torpedoes on them. All other ships, attack directly, and give them everything you've got!" His comm board immediately began chiming with received messages, saying things like "Let's get 'em!" and "We'll teach these cybernetic clowns to attack us!" Picard smiled at their enthusiasm. It would be needed. "All ships," he said, "attack!"  
  
At his order, the fleet stirred, slowly at first, but gathering speed. They all drove in toward the Cube, and once in range, they unleashed an awesome barrage of phaser fire, photon torpedoes, quantum torpedoes, pulse phasers, and Tri-Cobalt torpedoes. At first, the shots were merely bouncing off the Borg ship's armor, but as the fleet kept up their assault, the armor began to weaken.   
  
Suddenly a door in the side of the Cube opened up, and two Spheres poured out, and proceeded to attack the Federation ships, which turned their fire onto the smaller ships, ignoring the bigger one. The Cube, regaining its bearings, lashed out with a deadly tractor/cutter combo beam, cleaving a warp nacelle clean off the U.S.S. Excalibur. The stricken ship lurched, then began to spin out of control as the venting plasma from the pylon pushed them around in circles. It spun end over end, before nicking one of the Spheres and exploding with a tremendous shockwave.  
  
The cube then turned its tractor beam on the U.S.S. Tripoli, a Steamrunner that had gotten too close. The ship came to a stop, floating suspended by the Cube's beam. Picard saw the ship caught, and ordered the Enterprise to move in. "Target all weapons on the origin point of that tractor beam, and fire!" Four quantum torpedoes shot from the base of the Enterprise's saucer section, rocketing toward the Cube. The torpedoes hit, and the beam released the Tripoli, which immediately flew out of range.  
  
Then, a new ship dropped out of warp outside of weapons range of the Borg vessels, and aimed its massive weapon. Surging with power, a massive purplish projectile hurtled out of its torpedo bay, heading for the Borg ships. The U.S.S. Jupiter then drove in hard, strafing the two Spheres as it went. Right behind it, the Pulsar torpedo it fired hit one Sphere, then bounced to the other, shredding its shields and crippling its engines, then headed right for the Cube. The fleet immediately headed away from the Cube, and the Jupiter barely made it as its torpedo, now significantly stronger, struck the Cube, and blew a massive hole in its side, starting a chain reaction of explosions within it.  
  
The fleet immediately turned away from the damaged Cube, straining to get away before it blew. They barely managed to escape the blast radius as the Cube tore itself apart in a massive explosion that finished off the two Spheres as well.  
  
"Sir," said McClure from Tactical. "Sensors indicate no further Borg presence in the area... the sector is clear."  
  
Picard nodded, relieved. "Thank you Lieutenant." He then opened a channel to the fleet. "All ships, well done. Remain here to guard the Starbase, and stay alert for any other Transwarp signatures. We must return and debrief Admiral Hawthorne."  
  
* * *  
  
Back in orbit of Barisa IV, Captain Deming and the U.S.S. Premonition eagerly awaited word of the Enterprise's mission to Starbase 612. 'If they can stop the Borg there,' Deming thought, 'then maybe the Federation has a chance.' He was interrupted from his thinking by the Enterprise dropping out of warp directly in front of them. He stood. "Ensign Parker, hail the Enterprise."  
  
Picard sat, watching the slowly tumbling ship, still being rotated slightly by the plasma venting from its nacelles. He heard the beep of an incoming hail. "Sir," said Lucetti. "We're receiving a hail from the Premonition."   
  
He nodded. "On screen, Ensign." Captain Deming's face re-appeared on the viewscreen. "Captain Deming, it appears you were right, and for doubting you, I apologize. We managed to drive off the Borg attack, and the fleet stationed there is back to full force."  
  
Deming nodded, glad he was proven right... but not at the cost of all those assimilated from those ships in the first place. "Thank you, Captain. Your actions may have given the Federation the time it needs."  
  
Another incoming transmission. "Captain Deming, stand by. We have another transmission." Deming nodded, waiting. The face of Admiral Hawthorne soon replaced him on the screen. "Admiral..."  
  
"Jean-Luc, congratulations on your work at Starbase 612. We've gone over your report of the Premonition's warning, and we've decided there is cause for concern. Conduct field repairs on the Premonition, and escort them to the Manheim Temporal Facility here at Starbase 315. We need both of you here to debrief us and help us form a plan of action."  
  
"Understood, Admiral." The transmission ended, and Deming returned. "Captain Deming, we've been ordered to repair your ship as best we can and escort you to Starbase 315."   
  
"You can send repair teams anytime, Captain... it's a mess over here. We've lost 1/3 of our crew, our engines are out cold, and we've lost weapons too."   
  
"We're on our way. Picard out." The viewscreen went dark. Picard swiveled his chair to face his staff. "Geordi, take a damage control team over there and see what you can do." Geordi got up, and soon disappeared into the turbolift.  
  
* * *  
  
The next day, at Starbase 315, the Enterprise and Premonition hung side by side, anchored at one of the station's docking ports, undergoing repairs. Picard and Deming were sitting in Hawthorne's office, explaining what they had been through, and what they feared would come... when Hawthorne's computer terminal beeped.  
  
He accessed it, spoke his security clearance code, and proceeded to read the report contained within. His face paled almost immediately. Picard and Deming, noticing this, looked concerned. Picard spoke first. "What's wrong, sir?" He asked, with concern evident in his voice as well. Hawthorne shook his head.   
  
"That was from one of our spy ships near an old Dominion cloning facility... the Borg attacked it, and assimilated it. But what would they need..." He kept reading. "Oh no. They also just learned something rather disturbing about the leader of the Borg invasion." Picard and Deming looked at each other, fear in each other's eyes.  
  
"I already know, sir." Picard said grimly. Deming nodded, also knowing. Hawthorne was puzzled for a moment, but quickly overcame it. 'They both know,' he thought. 'Deming, because he came from the future; Picard, because of his former connection to the Collective. Not surprising.' Together, the three stared at the computer screen, which bore one word. One word, that posed them all great danger, and could overrun the Quadrant if not stopped, spelling the end of the Federation, the Klingons, the Romulans... and all of the other sentient species native to this Quadrant. All three of them spoke the word aloud simultaneously, palpable dread hanging in the air.  
  
"Locutus."  
  
A/N: Spooky, isn't it? What happens? How did the Borg get Locutus back? Ya'll will find out later, in Chapter 13, "Resurrection"! 


End file.
